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BYU freshman Delaney Gibb dribbles the ball against Idaho in a women's college basketball game at the Marriott Center on Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024.

Courtesy BYU Photo

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BYU head coach Amber Whiting instructs her players during a time out against Colorado State in a women's college basketball game at the Marriott Center on Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024.

Courtesy BYU Photo

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BYU's Emma Calvert (25) goes in for a layup against McNeese in a women's college basketball game at the Marriott Center on Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024.

Courtesy BYU Photo

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After one season in the Big 12, BYU women’s basketball coach Amber Whiting knows the margin for error between winning and losing can be very slim.

The Cougars have posted an 9-2 record during their non-conference slate, putting together some great performances and others that meant going back to the lab (ie, practice) to make corrections.

That’s what those 11 games are for.

“I like where we’re at, honestly,” Whiting said. “I like going into the Big 12 still not playing our best basketball yet, but coming together and doing some really good things. We’re young, and by being young I mean making mistakes that you can’t get away with in the Big 12. Plays where we made a mistake in non-conference, they may not have knocked down the shot but going into the Big 12, when you’re facing shooters that consistently can knock that down, it’s going to hurt us.”

BYU is coming off an impressive road win at Washington State, where freshman Delaney Gibb scored a career-high 26 points, 14 in a big third quarter.

“I think non conference has definitely prepared us,” Gibb said. “We’ve played some tough teams. We’ve had tough battles and nail biter games. We go into practice each day hungry and ready to compete. We’ve showed that we can play at a really high level and can play intense defense. Amber is a very defensive-minded person, so we’re held to a high standard on defense.

“Going into the Big 12, that’s something that we’re going to really hold our hats on, is just knowing that we’re going to get gritty, get tough and play really good defense. Offensively, we just have so many different pieces, and we move the ball well together. We flow nicely into our offenses. I think we’re ready.”

The Cougars were picked to finish 12th (out of 16 teams) in the preseason poll. Entering Big 12 play, three teams (Kansas State, TCU and West Virginia) are currently ranked in the Top 25 with three others (Iowa State, Utah and Oklahoma State) receiving votes.

“We talk about it all the time, but I think for the younger girls and the freshmen, it’s the same thing as last year, going into it (the Big 12),” Whiting said. “You don’t know it. You don’t know until you’re right there, until you have to go guard a Haley van Lith or a Sedona Prince. Our guys (practice) squad, they can’t necessarily replicate that to a ‘T’ and so you’ve just got to figure it out. That’s one thing I love about our women. They’ll stick their nose in and figure it out.”

Here’s a look at all 16 Big 12 teams heading into conference play, which begins on Saturday.

(All statistics and NET rankings are as of Dec. 18)

1. #13 Kansas State (11-1, 0-0 Big 12)

Preseason Big 12 pick: 1st

NET ranking: 4

Best win: An 86-68 victory against Creighton (NET 30) on Nov. 14.

Best player: Ayoka Lee, a 6-6 senior, returned for her fifth season and is averaging 16.4 points and 5.9 rebounds per game while shooting 65% from the field.

The Word: The Wildcats are an elite college basketball team that is a real threat to go far in the NCAA Tournament. Aside from Lee, five other players averaged double digits and Kansas State leads the country in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.98).

2. #12 TCU (11-1, 0-0 Big 12)

Preseason Big 12 pick: 4th

NET ranking: 8

Best win: A 76-68 victory against No. 3 Notre Dame (NET 5) on Nov. 29.

Best player: After starring at both LSU and Louisville, graduate transfer guard Hailey Van Lith can take over a game and is averaging 19.5 points, 4.7 rebounds and 6.4 assists per game.

The Word: A ridiculous run of injuries forced TCU to have tryouts on the middle of last season to have enough healthy bodies to play. Now with Van Lith and 6-7 center Sedona Prince (17.5 points, 9.6 rebounds per game), the Horned Frogs are a legitimate contender to win the Big 12. In addition to beating Notre Dame, TCU also own a 76-73 victory against North Carolina State (NET 24).

3. #14 West Virginia (10-1, 0-0 Big 12)

Preseason Big 12 pick: 5th

NET ranking: 10

Best win: An 83-62 victory against Texas A&M (NET 101) on Nov. 15.

Best player: Senior J.J. Quinerly leads West Virginia in scoring (17.8 points per game) but junior guard Jordan Harrison is a great all-around threat with 15.0 points and 5.4 assists per game while shooting 51% from the field and 44% from the 3-point line.

The Word: Quinerly, Harrison and Auburn transfer Sydney Shaw (13.2 ppg, 48% 3s) are a triple threat for opposing defenses. The Mountaineers are a terrific defensive team and are third in the country in scoring defense (49.2 points allowed per game).

4. Baylor (9-2, 0-0 Big 12)

Preseason Big 12 pick: 3rd

NET ranking: 21

Best win: A 71-64 victory against UNLV (NET 45) on Dec. 8.

Best player: Junior Darianna Littlepage-Buggs (15.4 points, 10.9 rebounds per game) is all effort and energy on the floor and is shooting 50% from the field.

The Word: Baylor was ranked earlier this season and should probably still be in the top 25, but losses to unranked (at the time) Oregon and Indiana set them back a bit. The Bears will pound you on the glass, averaging 15.8 offensive boards a game.

5. Iowa State (9-4, 0-0 Big 12)

Preseason Big 12 pick: 2nd

NET ranking: 62

Best win: A 75-59 victory against Middle Tennessee State (NET 63) on Nov. 30.

Best player: Take your pick between 6-3 sophomore Audi Crooks (21.6 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 61% FG) or 6-2 sophomore Addy Brown (14.1 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 43% 3s).

The Word: Crooks is one of the top post players in the country and when she establishes position in the key is almost impossible to stop. She and Brown make a deadly combo and the Cyclones will go as far as those two players can take them.

6. Utah (9-2, 0-0 Big 12)

Preseason Big 12 pick: 6th

NET ranking: 27

Best win: A 78-67 victory against No. 3 Notre Dame (NET 5) on Nov. 30.

Best player: Senior Gianna Kneepkens only played eight games last year due to a serious knee injury, but has picked up right where she left off by averaging 17.5 points per game and shooting 43% from the 3-point line.

The Word: Utah was a consistent contender in the Pac-12 and there’s no reason to think it won’t do the same in the Big 12. Long-time coach Lynne Roberts made a surprise exit four games into the season to take over the WNBA LA Sparks. Gavin Petersen took over and the Utes have kept winning, including a victory against then-No. 3 Notre Dame.

7. Kansas (10-1, 0-0 Big 12)

Preseason Big 12 pick: 8th

NET ranking: 77

Best win: A 61-60 victory against Auburn (NET 48) on Nov. 30.

Best player: Sophomore S’Mya Nichols is one of the top sophomores in the country, averaging 21.1 points and 4.9 assists per game while shooting 41% from distance.

The Word: The only loss for Kansas in the preseason was to a ranked Iowa team, but other than the Auburn win the Jayhawks really haven’t been tested. North Dakota State transfer Elle Evans (13.4 ppg) has been a nice addition for Kansas, which opens Big 12 play hosting Baylor.

8. Oklahoma State (10-1, 0-0 Big 12)

Preseason Big 12 pick: 11th

NET ranking: 28

Best win: A 70-56 victory against Arkansas (NET 135) on Nov. 29.

Best player: Junior Seton Hall transfer Micah Gray leads Oklahoma State in scoring (16.8 ppg) but Stailee Heard (14 points, 8.2 rebounds, 2.9 assists per game) is an explosive presence.

The Word: Heard recently posted 29 points in a win against Houston Christian (7 of 7 from the 3-point line) and 32 points, ten rebounds and six assists in a victory against Alcorn State. The Cowgirls are also No. 7 in the country in field goal percentage defense (32.5%).

9. Texas Tech (11-2, 0-0 Big 12)

Preseason Big 12 pick: 10th

NET ranking: 65

Best win: A 78-68 victory against Stephen F. Austin (NET 69) on Dec. 3.

Best player: Junior guard Jasmine Shavers is averaging 15.5 points and 4.0 rebounds per game.

The Word: Shavers and junior guard Bailey Maupin (12.8 ppg) are a potent backcourt, Maupin went for a season-high 25 points in Sunday’s 75-72 victory at Arkansas. The Red Raiders begin Big 12 play with Houston and Arizona State, and a 2-0 start is a real possibility.

10. BYU (9-2, 0-0 Big 12)

Preseason Big 12 pick: 12th

NET ranking: 64

Best win: A 67-62 victory against Idaho (NET 87) on Nov. 6.

Best player: Four-star freshman guard Delaney Gibb has been as good as advertised, leading BYU with 16.8 points per game while averaging 4.8 rebounds and 4.3 assists and shooting 38% from the 3-point line.

The Word: With the graduation of the school’s all-time leading rebounder Lauren Gustin, BYU has picked up the pace on the offensive end and are averaging 24 3-point attempts per game. Improved play from 6-4 senior Emma Calvert, who has raised her scoring average from 7.4 ppg last year to 13.8 this season, has been a big plus.

11. Colorado (9-2, 0-0 Big 12)

Preseason Big 12 pick: 9th

NET ranking: 85

Best win: A 91-79 victory against Tennessee Tech (NET 119) on Dec. 3.

Best player: Colorado is glad 5-11 guard Frida Formann decided to return for a fifth season. She’s averaging a team best 14.1 points per game while shooting 44% from the 3-point line.

The Word: The Buffs have made a strong push in the preseason with the only blemishes being losses at Boise State (50-47) and No. 24 Louisville (79-71). The start to the Big 12 slate is as tough as anyone with West Virginia and TCU both coming to Boulder.

12. Cincinnati (7-2, 0-0 Big 12)

Preseason Big 12 pick: 13th

NET ranking: 73

Best win: A 59-57 victory against Georgetown (NET 102) on Nov. 22.

Best player: Senior forward Jillian Hayes, who decided to return for a fifth year, is averaging 19.3 points and 10.4 rebounds per game while shooting 48% from the field.

The Word: Cincinnati has had a good start in an attempt to improve over last year’s 14-18 overall record, 5-13 in the Big 12. Texas A&M transfer guard Tineya Hylton (13.9 ppg) has given the Bearcats another good option on offense. Cincinnati has made team pay at the foul line, shooting 79.8% (10th in the country).

13. Arizona (9-4, 0-0 Big 12)

Preseason Big 12 pick: 7th

NET ranking: 83

Best win: A 75-66 victory against UNLV (NET 45) on Nov. 12

Best player: 6-4 sophomore Beya Cunningham has done good work so far, averaging 13.0 points and 7.3 rebounds per game while shooting an impressive 67% from the field.

The Word: There were high expectations for Arizona’s first year in the Big 12 but the preseason has been less-than-impressive with losses to Northern Arizona (92-75) and Grand Canyon (69-66) most puzzling. The playmaking ability of North Carolina transfer Paulina Paris, who had a 22-point, eight-assist game in a win against Seattle, is intriguing.

14. UCF (7-3, 0-0 Big 12)

Preseason Big 12 pick: 14th

NET ranking: 145

Best win: A 57-50 victory against Marquette (NET 76) on Nov. 7.

Best player: Senior guard Kaitlin Peterson, who averaged 20.7 points per game last season, is still balling out with 22.4 points per game so far.

The Word: Peterson has gotten scoring help from 6-5 Oklahoma State transfer Hannah Gusters, who is averaging 16.4 points and 8.5 rebounds per game while shooting 59% from the field. The Golden Knights will have to cut down on turnovers (currently 16.8 per game) to move up in the Big 12.

15. Arizona State (5-6, 0-0 Big 12)

Preseason Big 12 pick: 15th

NET ranking: 158

Best win: An 80-73 victory against SMU (NET 104) on Nov. 15.

Best player: Delaware transfer Tyi Skinner has had a strong start in Tempe, averaging 17.9 points and 3.5 assists per game while shooting 37% from the 3-point line.

The Word: Junior Jayln Brown (16.3 ppg) is another good offensive option for Arizona State but inconsistency has plagued the team, which has won two games in a row only once. Losses to Coppin State (74-68 OT) and UC San Diego (57-50) shows the Wildcats have a lot of work to do.

16. Houston (4-7, 0-0 Big 12)

Preseason Big 12 pick: 16th

NET ranking: 181

Best win: A 70-65 victory against Southeast Louisiana (NET 156) on Dec. 8.

Best player: Senior guard Laila Blair is averaging 11.9 points per game for the Cougars.

The Word: When Blair and Louisville transfer Eylia Love (11.4 points, 7.8 rebounds per game) are cooking, Houston can battle with anyone. But the Cougars have losses to Texas-Rio Grande Valley (70-68) and Pacific (64-60) to explain.

Big 12 Women’s Basketball Schedule

Saturday, Dec. 21

TCU at UCF, noon MT (ESPN+)

Iowa State at Oklahoma State, 3 p.m. MT (ESPN2)

Baylor at Kansas, 3 p.m. MT (ESPN+)

Arizona State at Utah, 4 p.m. MT (ESPN+)

Arizona at BYU, 4 p.m. MT (ESPN+)

West Virginia at Colorado, 6 p.m. MT (ESPN+)

Sunday, Dec. 22

Cincinnati at Kansas State, noon MT (ESPN+)

Houston at Texas Tech, 1 p.m. MT (ESPN+)